Trails near den trees and downed trees can be good spots for dog-proof traps. Look for sign—scat or prints—near both. (Shutterstock photo)
January 16, 2025
By Ryan Fair
There are several different ways to trap raccoons, but one of the easiest and most effective is using dog-proof traps. Suitable for both beginner and advanced trappers, these simple traps, when placed in the right spots, work very well. If raccoons have become a problem on your property and you need to manage the population, familiarize yourself with dog-proofs and get to work.
SET THE TRAP Dog-proofs are basic devices featuring a cylinder-type trap with a trigger inside. The cylinder is attached to a stake and chain. Once the trap is staked—either at an angle or up and down—or secured to a tree, place your bait within the cylinder and beneath the internal trigger. To set the trigger, squeeze the spring on the trap’s side and set the latch. That’s it. Now, wait for a curious raccoon to check it out.
After a raccoon finds the trap—usually with its nose—it’ll stick its paw into the cylinder to dig out the bait. This will trip the trigger, and the paw will become trapped inside the tube, which is how you’ll find your catch when you next check the trap. As its name suggests, this trap’s entire design is based around preventing dogs—which are unable to reach in and pull up on the trigger—from getting their paw trapped in the device.
Consider a few things before heading out to set traps. First, always prepare your traps by waxing and dying them. This process could be its own short article, but it essentially involves cleaning traps in boiling water, submerging them in a special dye, coating them with a thin layer of wax and letting them hang to dry. This helps prevent them from rusting in the field and keeps them working in top condition.
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Before setting out dog-proof traps, be sure to wax and dye them. This helps prevent them from rusting and ensures they’re in proper working order. (Photo by Ryan Fair) Next, bring along a good, heavy-duty stake, which will prevent your catch from walking off with your trap. Lastly, ensure you have a reliable, effective tool for dispatching any captured raccoons. I feel a .22- or .17-caliber rifle or pistol is the most ethical way to dispatch your catch, but you can find a few other methods with a quick search online. Although rare, dog-proofs have caught opossums, foxes, skunks and even small cats. Carry a catch pole when checking traps to release any unintended captures.
BAIT ’EM UP Most trapping and lure companies produce some sort of bait or lure intended to appeal to raccoons, with many carrying fitting names like Raccoon Delight or Cotton Candy Coon Lure. Smokey’s Raccoon Bait is a personal favorite. However, if you don’t wish to spend money on special baits to trap raccoons, just check your pantry. Sardines are another great bait I frequently use, as they’re cheap and raccoons seem to be able to smell them from a long distance. Other go-to baits include dry or canned cat food, cereals and countless of other foods and snacks.
FIND THE SPOT We’ve covered the basics of the trap and some baits to use, but where should dog-proofs be placed? Well, the simple answer would be anywhere raccoons want to be. A little scouting can help determine this, but in general, I like to set my traps in four key places.
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For starters, I’ll always anchor a dog-poof trap to a downed tree littered with raccoon scat. For some reason, these critters view downed trees as some type of major highway to travel along. Trails leading to or from a den tree—usually one that is hollow—are good locations, too. Finding raccoon sign, such as prints or scat, around such trees is a dead giveaway.
Creeks, waterways and drainage ditches are good trap locations, as prints are easy to spot. Use heavy-duty stakes to anchor traps. (Photo by Ryan Fair) Creek banks can be similarly good. I’ll walk along the banks looking for tracks in the mud, and when I see hot sign, I’ll stake a trap down and see what happens. Lastly, waterways that run through agricultural fields, especially picked corn fields, can be dynamite for trapping raccoons. If you use corn as a bait for deer—either on the ground or in a feeder—I’m sure your trail cameras have captured plenty of images of raccoons stealing a few bites.
Speaking of trail cameras, I like using cellular trail cameras to monitor my traps. In a recent conversation with a local game warden, I learned that if you receive a daily check-in photo from your camera that lets you see the trap, this can be an acceptable way to monitor it. You should, of course, check your state or local regulations, or speak with someone from your local wildlife agency, to confirm this is legal in your area. However, this allows me to run more traps, especially in places I can’t get to every day. Regardless of what baits you use, where you set your traps or what traps you use, have fun, follow the rules and do your part as a steward of the land.
This article was featured in the December/January 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .